I Was Too Late
by SassyCop
Summary: Why can't she stop the bleeding?  A million things go through her head.


**Spoilers for 3-13. Filling in some blanks for the season finale. **

She finds the door cracked open and thinks how odd that is. Claire didn't know she was coming. It takes her a second to register exactly what she's seeing: the red is everywhere. There is so much of it. She feels like she's in a tunnel. It's dark and all she can see is an unconscious Claire lying at the other end. It takes forever for her feet to carry her across the floor. Somehow she loses her purse and her jacket on the way. She kneels down next to her friend and hears her shallow breathing. All she can focus on is the blood. It just keeps flowing. She puts her hands on Claire's abdomen and realizes she can't stop the blood with just her hands. She remembers the scarf she has around her neck. She quickly pulls it off and scrunches it up. She puts it on Claire and presses down slightly. The blood is soaking in so fast.

It occurs to her that she needs to get help. She looks for her cell phone. Why didn't she do this first? She grabs her coat and jerks her phone from the pocket. She hits 911. She tells the person that answers where she is and that her friend is hurt. The person keeps asking her questions and she is trying to answer but suddenly everything seems far away. She feels like she is watching this scene from across the room. She sees herself talking on the phone and she is surprised at how together she seems to be as she provides information the police and paramedics need. She sees herself hang up the phone. She drops it and leans over Claire. She is still breathing, but there are gurgling sounds now from deep in her throat. She feels like she should know what to do, but nothing is coming to her. Claire has a heartbeat and she is still breathing. She doesn't need to do CPR at this point… the bleeding. Why can't she stop the bleeding? A million things go through her head. Help her! How do I help her?

She leans down close to Claire and talks quietly to her. She tells her to hang on; help is coming and she just needs to hang on a little longer. She tries to move Claire's head a little hoping she can clear the blood she hears gurgling. Keep the airway clear. Stop the blood. I need help. Cal. She grabs her phone and hits the speed dial. He answers saying something she couldn't decipher. She tells him she needs help. There is so much blood. She can't make it stop. She hears him telling her to slow down. She says she is at Claire's and something happened and can he just please get here quick? She needs his help! He responds but she doesn't hear what he says. She drops the phone and focuses again on Claire. She doesn't think she hears the gurgling any more. She checks for a pulse but doesn't feel it any more. She hears the sirens out in front of the building. She thinks she needs to do CPR now-no pulse, no breathing. God Claire, please! Hang on! They're here, please, hang on! She tries to do a chest compression and more blood comes flowing out. She realizes this is a no win situation. She can't do CPR because the blood pours out every time she presses down. This is when she feels the tears. She doesn't know when they started. She grabs Claire's shoulders and cradles her against her own abdomen.

She's still seeing everything from across the room. She sees hands on her shoulders. There is a man talking to her. Two other men kneel beside Claire while the one talking to her lifts her gently up to her feet. He tells her to let them help her friend. She says okay and backs away. She feels like this is a dream. She tells herself to wake up now. She closes her eyes and squeezes them tight. She opens them but nothing has changed. There is still blood everywhere. She hears a lot of voices and suddenly it seems as if there are people everywhere. She sees herself back toward the door to the apartment. She hears someone say it's too late. She hears someone else say 'call it.' She feels like she can't breathe and suddenly she needs to get out of there. She wanders slowly into the hall. When she's alone in the hall, she pauses. When she looks up she sees Cal. As he comes closer, she feels herself break down. He touches her and she feels suddenly grounded. She's seeing through her own eyes now. "I was too late." He wraps his jacket around her and pulls her into his arms.


End file.
